Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

I love everything about Thanksgiving Day. From spending time with friends and family to eating a turkey dinner knowing there is a slice of sweet potato pie at the end of the meal. Thanksgiving has always been a time for me to reflect on many ways my family and I are blessed from good health to having a warm bed to sleep in at night. I know this expression of gratitude sounds cliché and it is. But, I also know it’s the truth.

When I fondly think back to the many Thanksgivings I’ve shared with loved ones who are no longer with us, there is a split moment when I feel slightly emotional –a feeling of longing for wanting things they way they used to be. However, any sadness I feel does not compare to the joy of being surrounded by the people I love the most, especially my children.

Today is a day to pause and reflect why we are thankful. It is a day to look at life not by what we don’t have but to see the beauty in what we do. This is a life lesson I want my children to hold on to even when circumstances may deem otherwise.

With so much feasting today, I thought it would be fun to share a recipe for pumpkin ice cream. One of my most fond memories of my father as a child was when he would take my sisters and I to the ice cream shop. I would always order pumpkin spice ice cream because I knew it was a seasonal flavor. If your children like pumpkin pie, they are going to love pumpkin ice cream.

To your family from ours, Happy Thanksgiving.

*Do not be tempted to make this with low-fat or non-fat coconut milk- otherwise the ice cream will be icy.

Recipe: Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream

Prep Time: 5 min(s)

Cook Time: 30 min(s)

One quart dairy-free/vegan pumpkin spice ice cream.

Ingredients

One 13.5 ounces can coconut milk (do not use skim or low-fat)

1 1/2 cups unsweetened canned pumpkin puree

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Whisk all the ingredients in a large bowl until well mixed and smooth. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm.